Vehicle litter receptacle

ABSTRACT

A trash receptacle including a housing having one open end provided with a closure therefor. The housing includes internal structure defining a cavity extending longitudinally of the housing and including alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width extending transversely of the housing and spaced longitudinally thereof. The portions of the internal structure defining at least the zones of reduced width are yieldingly supported within the housing for yielding to increase the dimensions of the reduced zones as wider articles of trash are forced into the housing.

United States Patent Spainhour et al.

[54] VEHICLE LITTER RECEPTACLE [72] Inventors: Bettye G. Spainhour, Box 124; Jack B. Willis, General Delivery, both of Ringgold, La. 71068 [22] Filed: Nov. 5, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 874,298

[52] US. Cl. ..206/l, 206/19.5 R, 217/35, 220/29, 220/38, 220/29 D [S 1] Int. Cl. ..B65d 25/12, B65d 51/18, B60n 3/08 [58] Field of Search.....206ll9.5 R, l, 45.11; 217/27, 217/35; 220/29, 34; 224/29 D, 42, 42 A;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,782,997 2/1957 Thompson ..229/l4 C 3,416,692 12/1968 Cline et a] ..206/46 FC 2,735,597 2/1956 Treleven ..206/l9.5 R UX Dl80,199 4/1957 Perreault ..206/l9.5 R UX 641,207 l/1900 l-ligham ..229/14 C UX 2,808,189 10/1957 Williams ..229/l4 C 51 Sept. 12, 1972 3,273,779 9/1966 Mykleby ..229/14 C FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 277,363 1 H1964 Netherlands ..206/62 PR Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer Attorney-Clarence A. O'Brien and Harvey B. Jacobson [5 7] ABSTRACT A trash receptacle including a housing having one open end provided with a closure therefor. The housing includes internal structure defining a cavity extending longitudinally of the housing and including alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width extending transversely of the housing and spaced longitudinally thereof. The portions of the internal structure defining at least the zones of reduced width are yieldingly supported within the housing for yielding to increase the dimensions of the reduced zones as wider articles of trash are forced into the housing.

13 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEF 12 m2 SHEET 1 BF 3 Bettye 6. Spain/10w Jack B. Will/s PATENTEDSEP I 2 I972 SHEET 2 OF 3 Fig.4

Bettye 6. .Spainhaur Jack B. Willis 1N VENTORS MM 8m Fig. 8 Fig. 7

Berry: 6. Spain/roar Jack B. Willis IXVEXTORS BY pwddiw aim Wave 3M3):

Fig 9 VEHICLE LITTER RECEPIACLE The trash receptacle of the instant invention has been designed primarily for use in all types of vehicles,

such as automobiles. The receptacle provides a convenient housing for receiving articles of trash and is constructed in a manner whereby articles of trash placed within the receptacle will be at least semi-stationarily supported against movement within the receptacle. The receptacle is designed whereby it may be readily supported from the backrest portion of the front seat of a vehicle with the open top of the receptacle generally horizontally aligned with the top of the seat back. In this manner, persons seated in the rear seat of the vehicle may place trash within the receptacle and persons seated upon the front seat of the vehicle may also place trash .within the receptacle.

The receptacle includes internal structure by which articles of trash may be held substantially stationary within the receptacle and which also serve to maintain trash disposed within the receptacle in a compressed condition as the receptacle is filled with trash almost to its capacity. In this manner, crumpled paper and the like disposed within the receptacle is ineffective to expand after being crumpled and push the uppermost articles of trash within the receptacle above the upper extremities of the trash receiving area within the recepta-' cle.

The main object of this invention is to provide a trash receptacle for use in vehicles and which will be capable of receiving articles of trash therein and retaining the articles of trash in at least semi-stationary position within the receptacle.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a trash receptacle constructed in a manner whereby it may be mounted within the interior of an automobile in posi tion enabling persons seated upon both the front seat and the rear seat of the vehicle to place trash within the receptacle.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus from which trash collected therein may be readily removed therefrom without removal of the trash receptacle itself from the associated vehicle.

Another important object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a trash receptacle in which a plastic bagor the like may be readily positioned for receiving trash disposed within the receptacle and which may be utilized in containing the trash collected within the receptacle as the trash is removed from the receptacle.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a vehicle litter receptacle in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehicle seat back with the litter receptacle of the invention invention supported from the seat back and the top of the litter receptacle in a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but withthe back wall of the litter'receptacle in the open position illustrating the manner inwhich the and with an alternate open position of the top wall of the receptacle illustrated in phantomlines;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 55 of FIG. 4; 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged *vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view-similar to FIG. 4 but of a first modified form of litter receptacle;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7- but'illustrating a second modified form of litter receptacle; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the

numeral 10 generally designates a vehicle seat back such as the seat back of the frontseat of a motor vehicle. The litter receptacle of the instant invention is referred to in general by the reference numeral 12 and is supported from the seat back 10 for access thereto by persons disposed in the rear seat (not shown) of the vehicle as wellas persons disposed forward of the seat back 10.

The receptacle 12 includes a housing referred to in general by the reference numeral 14 provided with front and rear walls 16 and 18, opposite side walls 20 and 22, and top and bottom walls 24 and'26.

The opposite side walls 20 and 22 andthe front wall 16, together with the bottom wall 26, may be formed from a single piece of sheet metal. The front wall 16 includes a plurality of L-shaped brackets28 which have their lower upstanding legs 30 secured to the outer surface of the front wall 16 in any convenient manner. The brackets 28 include upper forwardly directedhorizontal legs 32 which overlie the upper edge'portion of the seat back 10 and have sharpenedtongues 34 struck downwardly therefrom for engagement with the upper edge portion of the seat back 10. In addition, the L- shaped brackets 28 have strips 36 of soft or resilient material secured over the forward surfaces of the legs 30 and the undersurfaces of the legs 32, those portions of the strips 36 underlying the legs 32 having openings 38 formed therethrough through which the tongues 34 project.

The bottom wall 26 includes a pair of downwardly struck semi-cylindrical portions 40 to which the upper ends of a pair of upstanding expansion springs 42 are secured by means of suitable rings 44 and hooks 46 formed on the upper ends of the springs 42. The lower ends of the springs 42 include hooks 48 engaged with upwardly opening J-shaped hooks 50 engaged with the lower marginal edge portion of the seat back 10. According, as may be seen from FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings, the receptacle 12 is stationarily, but removably, supported from the rear of the seat back 10. f

The rear marginal edge portion of the top wall 24 is hingedly supported from the upper marginal edge portion of the rear wall 18 by means of a hinge assembly 52 and the rear lower corner portions of the side walls 20 and 22 have arcuate slots 54 formed therein through which rivets 56 also secured through forwardly projecting flange portions 58 carried by the opposite side marginal edge portions of therear wall 18 are also secured. The flange portions 58 are thus swingably supported from the rear lower corner portions of the side walls 20 and 22 and also slidable upwardly and slightly rearward relative to the side walls 20 and 22.

.The upper marginal edge portions of the side walls 20 and 22 have upwardly opening arcuate slots 60, conforming to slots 54, formed therein and the forward upper corner portions of the flange portions 58 have rivets 62 or other fasteners secured therethrough which are downwardly receivable in the slots 60. Accordingly, it may be appreciated that in order to swing the rear wall 18 of the housing 14 to an open position, it is first necessary to pull upwardly on the rear wall 18 so as to withdraw the rivets 62 from the upper ends of the slots 60. Thereafter,- the upper marginal edge portion of the rear wall 18 may be swung rearwardly as the rear wall 18 is allowed to drop to its lowermost position defined by the rivets 56 seating in the lower ends of the slots 54 formed in the side walls 20 and 22.

A pair of front and rear corrugated members 64 and 66 are disposed within the housing 12 and extend between the side walls 20 and 22 thereof. The'corrugated members 64 and 66 are spaced apart and include alternating partial cylindrical ridges 68 and valleys 7.0 which oppose each other and define therebetween defined between the upper ends of the covered corrugated members 64 and 66. and serve to downwardly urge each piece of trash placed in thetop of the housing 14 as the top wall 24 is swung from the open phantom line position of FIG. 4 to the closed solid line position thereof in FIG. 4.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG. 7 of the drawings, there may be seen a first modified form of litter receptacle defining a housing referred to in general by the reference numeral 1 12.

The housing 112 may be substantially identical to the housing 12 except that tabs or laterally struck portions corresponding to the tabs or laterally struck portions 88 and 90 need not be provided. Further, the housing 112 may be provided with a completely removable top zones 72 and 74 of reduced and expanded width spaced vertically throughout the housing 14.

The corrugated members 64 and 66 have sheets 76 and 78 of resilient material applied to their confronting surfaces. The sheets 76 and 78 bonded to the corrugated members 64 and 66 and the ridges 68 of the corrugated members 64 and 66 are backed by elongated horizontal strips 86 of resilient material secured to the inner surfaces of the front wall 16 and the rear wall 18 in any convenient manner.

The side walls 20 and 22 include inwardly struck tongues 88 which overlie the corresponding edge portions of the strips or sheets 76 and the flange portions 58 include corresponding inwardly struck tongues 90 which overlie the adjacent marginal edge portions of the sheet 78. The tongues 88 and 90 engage the sheets 76 and 78 in the areas thereof disposed over the valleys 70 of the corrugated members 64 and 66 and thereby retain the ridges 68 in slightcompressive engagement with the strips 86.

The top wall 24 includes an elongated channel member 92 which is secured to the inner surface-of the top wall 24 and is covered by a suitable sheet 94 of resilient material. The channel member 92 and its cover sheet 94 are receivable downwardly in the throat wall (not shown) and other means may be utilized to secure the housing 112 to any suitable supporting surface. In addition, in lieu of the corrugated members 64 and 66 as well as the sheets 76 and 78, the housing 112 hasa pair of resilient sheets 114 and 1 16 secured to the inner surfaces of the frontand rear walls 118 and 120 in any convenient manner such as by an adhesive 122. The sheets 114 and 116 include integral inwardly projecting fingers 124 which are of various lengths and which define zones 126 and 128 of reduced and expanded width such as the zones 72 and 74. The fingers 124 are of course resilient and may be formed on the sheets 114 and 116 on a specified pattern or in random fashion.

With attention now directed more specifically to FIG. 8 of the drawings, there will be seen a second modified form of litter receptacle referred to in general by the reference numeral 130 and which is similar to the receptacle 112 except that the fingers 132 thereof corresponding tov the fingers 124 are formed integrally with the front and rear walls 134 and 136 of the receptacle 130. In addition, the rear marginal edge portions of the side walls 138 of the receptacle 130 define confronting channels 140 in whichthe opposite side marginal edge portions of the rear wall 136 are slidingly received. Accordingly, the rear wall 136 may be removed merely by pulling upwardly on the rear wall 136 after the removable top 142 of .the receptacle 130 has been removed. The rear wall 136 is provided with finger receiving openings 144 whereby a convenient means is provided for applying an upward force on the rear wall 136 to facilitate its removal and a downward force on the rear wall 136 to facilitate its being returned to its operative position.

Of course, the rear wall 136 is not swingable to an open position. However, the rear wall 120 of the receptacle 122 may be constructed in the same manner as the rear wall 18 of the receptacle 12 in order that the rear wall 120 may be swung to an open position.

ln operation, as trash is forced downward into either one of the disclosed receptacles, the trash may be pushed through the first zone of reduced width and into the first zone of expanded width. Then, as more articles of trash are pushed downwardly into the housings, the trash is gradually forced from one zone of expanded width to the next lower zone of expanded width. Further, the downward pressure necessary to force trash into the receptacles is sufficient to compact articles of trash which may be readily compacted.

Although the receptacle l2 hasbeen illustrated and described as supported from the seat back 10, it is to be noted that in vehicles such as pick-up trucks or other vehicles where sufficient room is not provided rearward of the front seat back to mount the receptacle,the receptacle may be mounted in any convenient location. Further, the. receptacles are not limited to being mounted with their upper ends uppermost. The'alternating zones of reduced and expanded width enable the receptacle to retain spaced cans and bottles placed therein, even when the receptacle is inverted or horizontally disposed, see FIG. 3.

A disposable plastic bag 80 including front and rear walls 150 and 152 may be disposed within the receptacle l2 and removable resilient clips 82 and 84 extend the full length of and are utilized to secure upper marginal edge portions of the rear and front walls 150 and 152 of the bag 80 within the housing 14 and to the corrugated members 64 and 66 and he sheets 76 and 78. In this manner, when the receptacle 12 has been filled with trash or it is desired to empty a partially filled receptacle, the rear wall 18 may be swung to the open position and the plastic bag containing the trash received within the receptacle 12 may be removed and replaced by an empty bag.

In addition to mounting the receptacle 12 in an exposed position, by utilizing no-sag spring construc- 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said internal structure includes a pair of corrugated members extending longitudinally of said housing and whose corrugations extend transversely of said housing and are registered to define said alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width. r

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said housing includes front and rear walls and one of said walls is hingedly supported from the remainder of said housing tion in a vehicle seat back or seat cushion, the receptacle may be recessed or fully enclosed within a vehicle seat back or a vehicle seat cushion. Further, by using the resilient sheets 76 and 78, empty cans and bottles of varying sizes may be contained within the receptacle in a rattle-free manner. Also, the frictional contact between the resilient sheets 76 and 78 and the outer surfaces of the front and rear walls of the bag assist the clips 82 and 84 in retaining the bag walls from shifting toward the innermost end of the receptacle as bottles or cans are inserted in the receptacle.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A trash receptacle defining a housing having one open end, said housing including internal structure defining a cavity extending longitudinally of the housing including alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width extending transversely of the housing and spaced longitudinally therealong, said zones of expanded width being generally cylindrical and of a size and shape for snugly receiving individual generally cylindrical serving beverage containers of a predetermined size, including bottles and cans, therein with said containers spaced apart longitudinally of the housing, at least those portions of the internal structure defining the zones of reduced width being yieldably supported within said housing for sufficient movement away from each other to enable a generally cylindrical container of said predetermined size to be forced through a selected reduced zone from one zone of expanded width to an adjacent zone of expanded width.

for swinging between open and closed positions, one of said corrugated members being supported from said front wall.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said one wall is hingedly supported from the remainder of said housing for oscillation about an axis extending along the end thereof defining a portion of the open end of said housmg.

5. A trash receptacle defining a housing having one open end, said housing including internal structure defining a cavity extending longitudinally of the housing including alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width extending transversely of the housing and spaced longitudinally therealong, at least those portions of the internal structure defining the zones of reduced width being yieldably supported within the housing, whereby articles of slightly greater width than the width of the reduced zones may be forced therethrough, said internal structure including a pair of corrugated members extending longitudinally of said housing and whose corrugations extend transversely of said housing and are registered to define said alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width, said housing including side wall portions extending along and opposed by the opposite side longitudinal edges of said corrugated members, said side wall portions including inwardly struck tabs overlying the opposing surfaces of the adjacent longitudinal edge portions of said corrugated members in the areas thereof defining the zones of expanded width therebetween.

6. The combination of claim 5 including resilient elongated spacing members extending transversely of said housing between the inner surfaces of the front and rear walls thereof and the opposing portions of said corrugated members defining said reduced width zones.

7. The combination of claim 1 including a closure cover for the open end of said housing shiftable between open and closed positions.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the inner surface of said closure cover includes a projection which projects into the open end of the housing when the closure cover is moved to the closed position and which serves to force any articles disposed in the housing at the open end thereof through the adjacent zone of reduced width as the closure cover is moved to the closed position.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said internal structure comprises a plurality of resilient fingers projecting inwardly from opposing walls of said housing.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein one of said opposing walls of said housing is supported from the remainder of said housing for longitudinal shifting relative thereto between a first limit position with said one opposing wall in operative position and a second position with said one opposing wall completely disengaged from the remainder of said housing.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein said internal structure comprises a plurality of resilient fingers prov jecting inwardly from opposing walls of said housing,

ing including anchor means attached thereto, a flexible bag disposed within said housing between said corrugated members andwith the open end of said bag disposed at the open end of said housing, said anchor means releasably securing the adjacent portions of the open end of said bag to said ends of said corrugated members.

13. A trash receptacle including a housing having one open end, said housing including internal resilient structural means defining a trash receiving recess within said housing including alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width extending transversely of the housing and spaced longitudinally thereof, said zones of expanded width being generally cylindrical and of a size and shape for snugly receiving individual generally cylindrical serving beverage containers of predetermined size, including bottles and cans, therein with said containers spaced apart longitudinally of the housing, at least those portions of the internal structure defining the zones of reduced width being yieldably supported within said housing for sufficient movement away from each other to enable a generally cylindrical container of said predetermined size to be forced through a selected reduced zone from one zone of expanded width to an adjacent zone of expanded width. 

1. A trash receptacle defining a housing having one open end, said housing including internal structure defining a cavity extending longitudinally of the housing including alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width extending transversely of the housing and spaced longitudinally therealong, said zones of expanded width being generally cylindrical and of a size and shape for snugly receiving individual generally cylindrical serving beverage containers of a predetermined size, including bottles and cans, therein with said containers spaced apart longitudinally of the housing, at least those portions of the internal structure defining the zones of reduced width being yieldably supported within said housing for sufficient movement away from each other to enable a generally cylindrical container of said predetermined size to be forced through a selected reduced zone from one zone of expanded width to an adjacent zone of expanded width.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said internal structure includes a pair of corrugated members extending longitudinally of said housing and whose corrugations extend transversely of said housing and are registered to define said alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said housing includes front and rear walls and one of said walls is hingedly supported from the remainder of said housing for swinging between open and closed positions, one of said corrugated members being supported from said front wall.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said one wall is hingedly supported from the remainder of said housing for oscillation about an axis extending along the end thereof defining a portion of the open end of said housing.
 5. A trash receptacle defining a housing having one open end, said housing including internal structure defining a cavity extending longitudinally of the housing including alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width extending transversely of the housing and spaced longitudinally therealong, at least those portions of the internal structure defining the zones of reduced width being yieldably supported within the housing, whereby articles of slightly greater width than the width of the reduced zones may be forced therethrough, said internal structure including a pair of corrugated members extending longitudinally of said housing and whose corrugations extend transversely of said housing and are registered to define said alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width, said housing including side wall portions extending along and opposed by the opposite side longitudinal edges of said corrugated members, said side wall portions including inwardly struck tabs overlying the opposing surfaces of the adjacent longitudinal edge portions of said corrugated members in the areas thereof defining the zones of expanded width therebetween.
 6. The combination of claim 5 including resilient elongated spacinG members extending transversely of said housing between the inner surfaces of the front and rear walls thereof and the opposing portions of said corrugated members defining said reduced width zones.
 7. The combination of claim 1 including a closure cover for the open end of said housing shiftable between open and closed positions.
 8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the inner surface of said closure cover includes a projection which projects into the open end of the housing when the closure cover is moved to the closed position and which serves to force any articles disposed in the housing at the open end thereof through the adjacent zone of reduced width as the closure cover is moved to the closed position.
 9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said internal structure comprises a plurality of resilient fingers projecting inwardly from opposing walls of said housing.
 10. The combination of claim 9 wherein one of said opposing walls of said housing is supported from the remainder of said housing for longitudinal shifting relative thereto between a first limit position with said one opposing wall in operative position and a second position with said one opposing wall completely disengaged from the remainder of said housing.
 11. The combination of claim 1 wherein said internal structure comprises a plurality of resilient fingers projecting inwardly from opposing walls of said housing, said fingers being carried by and projecting outwardly from mounting sheet portions secured to the inner surfaces of said opposing walls of said housing.
 12. The combination of claim 1 wherein said internal structure includes a pair of corrugated members extending longitudinally of said housing and whose corrugations extend transversely of said housing and are registered to define said alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width, the ends of said corrugated members disposed at said open end of said housing including anchor means attached thereto, a flexible bag disposed within said housing between said corrugated members and with the open end of said bag disposed at the open end of said housing, said anchor means releasably securing the adjacent portions of the open end of said bag to said ends of said corrugated members.
 13. A trash receptacle including a housing having one open end, said housing including internal resilient structural means defining a trash receiving recess within said housing including alternating elongated zones of reduced and expanded width extending transversely of the housing and spaced longitudinally thereof, said zones of expanded width being generally cylindrical and of a size and shape for snugly receiving individual generally cylindrical serving beverage containers of predetermined size, including bottles and cans, therein with said containers spaced apart longitudinally of the housing, at least those portions of the internal structure defining the zones of reduced width being yieldably supported within said housing for sufficient movement away from each other to enable a generally cylindrical container of said predetermined size to be forced through a selected reduced zone from one zone of expanded width to an adjacent zone of expanded width. 